Implantable medical devices (IMDs) typically include a housing that encloses a variety of internal components, and protects the components from an implanted environment. For example, within the human body, the housing is sealed to prevent introduction of fluids or moisture to the internal components. In many cases, the implantable medical device includes external components that extend outside of the housing and communicate with the internal components.
One example is an implantable cardioverter/defibrillator (ICD), which includes an internal battery, at least one charging capacitor, and electronic circuitry. The electronic circuitry typically is coupled to pacing and/or diagnostic leads that extend outside of the device housing for positioning within or near the targeted tissue such as the heart. To protect internal components while permitting electrical connections with external components, the ICD includes a connector module connected to a filtered feedthrough electronic module assembly (FFEMA). The connector module is electrically connected to circuitry inside a sealed case of the implantable medical device through one or more feedthrough pins extending from the FFEMA. FFEMA comprises an electronic module assembly (EMA) connected to a feedthrough assembly via laser welding of the feedthrough pins to the conductive strip on the EMA. The EMA is composed of an electronic module block with a set of conductive strips located solely at one end of the EMB. To ensure that a high quality EMB has been manufactured, a testing device with a set of pogo pins verifies that the conductive strips function properly. In some cases, the pogo pins may contact the conductive strips more than once, which may remove a portion of a conductive plating on the conductive strips. A current is then passed through the pogo pins to test whether the conductive strips function. Pogo pins may scratch, nick or gouge the gold/platinum plated surface of the conductive strips, which may not permit a reliable connection of the hybrid circuit to the EMB via laser ribbon bonding/wire bonding/parallel gap welding process to the conductive strip of the EMB.
Efforts to simplify or reduce the complexity, cost, and time of the manufacturing and assembly process can directly impact the cost of the implantable medical device for patients. Accordingly, more simple and cost-effective device assembly processes for implantable medical devices are desirable.